The Book of the Prophet Isaiah

Chapter 57

When the righteous die, they enter into peace—Mercy is promised to the penitent—There is no peace for the wicked.

1 The righteous aperisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.

2 He shall enter into apeace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.

3 ¶ But draw near hither, ye asons of the sorceress, the seed of the badulterer and the whore.

4 Against whom do ye sport yourselves? against whom make ye a wide mouth, and draw out the tongue? are ye not achildren of transgression, a seed of falsehood,

5 Enflaming yourselves with aidols under every green tree, bslaying the cchildren in the valleys under the clifts of the rocks?

6 Among the smooth stones of the stream is thy portion; they, they are thy lot: even to them hast thou poured a drink offering, thou hast offered a meat offering. Should I receive comfort in these?

7 Upon a lofty and high mountain hast thou set thy abed: even thither wentest thou up to offer sacrifice.

8 Behind the doors also and the posts hast thou set up thy remembrance: for thou hast adiscoveredthyself to banother than me, and art gone up; thou hast enlarged thy bed, and made thee a covenant with them; thou lovedst their bed where thou sawest it.

10 Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way; yet saidst thou not, There is no ahope: thou hast found the blife of thine hand; therefore thou wast not grieved.

11 And of whom hast thou been afraid or afeared, that thou hast blied, and hast not remembered me, nor laid it to thy heart? have not I held my peace even of old, and thou fearest me not?

12 I will adeclare thy righteousness, and thy works; for they shall not profit thee.

13 ¶ When thou criest, let thy companies deliver thee; but the wind shall carry them all away; vanity shall take them: but he that putteth his trust in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy amountain;

15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth aeternity, whose name isbHoly; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a ccontrite and dhumble spirit, to erevive the spirit of the fhumble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

16 For I will not acontend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the bsoulswhich I have made.